Yonah (Jonah) Chapter 2

The Tanakh ends chapter 1 after verse 16. Some translations include the following verse in chapter one. This verse is the first verse in chapter 2 in the Tanakh.

Yonah 1:17 Now Adonai had prepared a great fish to swallow up Yonah. And Yonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Adonai was going to use this discipline of Yonah for the good.

Yonah 2:1 Then Yonah prayed to Adonai out of the fish's belly,

Yonah had a choice. He still could have said, forget it. I do not wish to follow Adonai.

When Adonai disciplines us for doing wrong or for not doing the right thing, what is the first thing we should do?

Pray to the Father for forgiveness. Then, do what He asks.

Yonah 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction to Adonai, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell (Sh’ol) I cried, and you heard my voice.

It states here Yonah cried from Sh’ol. Did Yonah die and was later brought back to life?

Or did he live three days and nights in the fish?

Some find either one hard to believe. There are documented cases of men who were swallowed up by whales and lived. In this case, we only know it was a giant fish.

Maybe he did live in the fish. The word does not literally say he lived in the fish. Most commentaries believe that he did live in the fish.

If he did live three days and nights in the whale, why would he write later he was crying from Sh’ol?

The MOST important thing is Adonai did save him from the fish in the end when Yonah decided to put away his own will and follow Adonai.

Yonah 2:3 For you have cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all your billows and your waves passed over me.

Yonah 2:4 Then I said, I am cast out of your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.

Mercy was available in the past!

The second letter that corresponds to this chapter is Beit. Beit-house, duality as in husband and wife; also division between good and evil.

Yonah 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

It states even his soul reached the lower depths. This could be the place for those who did evil.

Yonah 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me forever: yet have you brought up my life from corruption (the pit), O Adonai, my G-d.

“pit refers to the grave and dwelling place of the dead.
Could this be Abraham’s bosom?

I will not be dogmatic one way or the other. Either case, I will not limit the possibility that Adonai raised Yonah from the dead after three days either.

Yeshua after death too went down to Abraham’s bosom and let the captives free. (Isaiah 61)

When Yeshua went down to let some free, He also left some down there who where across a gulf who choose not to follow the plan of Adonai (though the Son). They will be thrown in the lake of fire (Gehenna) later. (Rev. 20:11-15)

Luke 16:19-31"Now there was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day. "And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. "Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Avraham's BOSOM; and the rich man also died and was buried. "And in Hades (Sh’ol) he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue; for I am in agony in this flame.' "But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, in order that those who wish to come over from here to you may not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' "And he said, 'Then I beg you, Father, that you send him to my father's house-- for I have five brothers-- that he may warn them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' "But he said, 'No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' "But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.'" NAS

The rich man cries from Sh’ol. He is not delivered because of his choice to reject G-d’s plan in the past. His decision had eternal consequences.

Mark 9:42-45 "And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. "And if your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than having your two hands, to go into hell (Gehenna), into the unquenchable fire, [where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.]

This does not only mean by actions but also If you choose to lead others from the truth and the Word of Adonai so they stumble you will receive a harsher and a much hotter eternal judgment.

Matt 25:41-44 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' NAS

Job 7:5-6 "My flesh is clothed with worms and a crust of dirt; My skin hardens and runs. "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And come to an end without hope. NAS

Job 21:23-29 "One dies in his full strength, Being wholly at ease and satisfied; His sides are filled out with fat, And the marrow of his bones is moist, While another dies with a bitter soul, Never even tasting anything good. "Together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them. "Behold, I know your thoughts, and the plans by which you would wrong me. "For you say, 'Where is the house of the nobleman, and where is the tent, the dwelling places of the wicked?' "Have you not asked wayfaring men, and do you not recognize their witness? NAS

Dan 7:11"Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. NAS

Dan 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. NAS

Yonah 2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered Adonai: and my prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.